Implantable medical devices (IMDs) include devices implanted in the human body to provide medical treatment. Examples of such implantable medical devices include cardiac rhythm management (CRM) devices, neural stimulators, neuromuscular stimulators, drug delivery devices, and biological therapy devices. A device exterior to the human body, called a programmer, is used to program an IMD.
Some programmers and IMDs communicate via radio frequencies (RF) telemetry using a wireless electrical connection. The quality of the wireless communication between the programmer and the IMD, whether in an operating room, an intensive care facility, a patient follow-up clinic, or home monitoring situation, may be limited by causes such as interference from other RF sources and large transmission distance. Improved telemetry systems for communication with IMDs are needed.